Afghanistan - a new from an Army Wife

So I’m a wife…an Army wife. Day to day it’s proving to be more difficult everyday. Having your husband gone with little contact is quite the challenge especially with a one year old running around day and night. Currently, my husband is training to be a military police officer and Fort Leonard Wood, MO (Fort Lost in the Woods, Misery) has him until April. Right now, I only have to worry about him enduring bully drill sergeants and exhaustion. But he’s safe. I count my blessings everyday that my husband is safe.

President Obama’s words on December 1st affected no one like they affected those who will be sending their loved ones off (or the possibility of sending their loved ones off). My heart goes out to you all. My husband finishes training April of 2010. President Obama has stated that most of the 30,000 troops will deploy early next year “moving at the fastest pace possible”. I pray every night he’ll get lucky enough and miss the deployment until later in his career. Selfishly, I want my husband to myself for a while. 5 months of training and then moving to our duty station (which could be anywhere in the world)…I just want him to be home for a while.

“Early 2010” could mean March…April…May. Don’t get my wrong. Deployment is the reason our troops train like they do. It’s the reason they form such close bonds with each other. It’s what WE signed up for. I know it will come; I just need some time before that happens.

With that said…I truly support President Obama’s decision to send an additional 30,000 troops to Afghanistan (which FYI…I don’t think I can listen to another “he said he was pulling all of our troops out and now look at what he’s doing!”…What our President said was he wanted to get our troops withdrawn from Iraq but “Afghanistan is a war of necessity”). If I didn’t support the troop surge…what would I be supporting? Just think about this…there are men and woman over there who are being killed simply because they don’t have the man power or gun power to help defend themselves. Most of all…what I do support are my husband’s comrades. My husbands (and mine for that matter) newly found family. Those men and women are over there in the sandbox without the defenses they need. Those men and women who would gladly stand at my husbands back and defend him NEED the same from their comrades here at home. Our country needs to pull together for THEM if no one else.

I feel for the spouses “left behind”. Maybe with more man/gun power over there…there will be a more speedy result in Afghanistan but more importantly our loves ones (ALL OF THEM) will return to us safely.

God Bless all of our troops and those who support them. All of those “left behind” waiting…worrying…supporting your soldiers, God Bless you and you’re not alone.

With love,
Amanda

The Silent Ranks...

Unknown Author


I wear no uniforms, no blues or army greens.
But I am in the military in the ranks rarely seen.
I have no rank upon my shoulders, salutes I do not give.
But the military world is the place where I live.

I'm not in the chain of command, orders I do not get.
But my husband is the one who does, this I cannot forget.
I'm not the one who fires the weapon, who puts my life on the line.
But my job is just as tough. I'm the one that's left behind.

My husband is a patriot, a brave and prideful man,
And the call to serve his country, not all can understand.
Behind the lines I see the things needed to keep this country free.
My husband makes the sacrifice, but so do our kids and me.

I love the man I married. Patriotism is his life.
But I stand among the silent ranks known as the military wife.